Yuudachi no ribbon
by North of the North
Summary: Again that day, just like every day, Mathew's friends had been chased away by Alfred, distracted by his brother he never noticed the person watching him, or later following him home through the rain.
1. Chapter 1

"Hey Mattie! What are you doing way over there? Don't you want to eat with me?" Alfred's call across the cafeteria abruptly stopped Mathew's conversation with his best friends Carlos and Gilbert in an instant. Gilbert rolled his red eyes, while Carlos sent a disgusted look the loud American's way but Mathew just sighed.

He was used to this by now. His brother really wasn't going to leave him alone for even a single lunch period, was he? They were both in grade twelve, but from the way Alfred, and his family did when they were home not that that happened often, treated him it was like Mathew couldn't take care of himself! They could both be responsible young adults, if Alfred could ever let Mathew even start to be one. It was like Alfred didn't trust Mathew or something to know how to live without his brother and make planned, well thought out decisions. Alfred was always there. He was always looking over Mathew's shoulder. He was always watching over him, like he was a little kid still.

Alfred should just forget what had happened back when Mathew was younger. Sure, he had been approached to be in children commercials and sure he was kidnapped, twice, but each time was only for a few days! That happened when he was four until he was six—it wasn't happening to him now, he was too old for children's commercials. Alfred really just needed to get over the idea that Mathew doesn't need to be saved anymore.

Mathew swiveled around to face Alfred as he came up to him, Alfred's eyes were twinkling brightly, that wasn't a good sign. When Alfred got to be like that it always meant that he was up to something, and normally that something spelt trouble for Mathew. "Come on dude, you're eating with me today" Or just annoyance.

'And forever more' Mathew thought sarcastically.

A flickering shadow passed through Alfred's eyes turning them several shades darker as he took in Gilbert's and Carlos' closeness to his brother.

'Alfred really was an open book about his feelings, if you only bothered to look close enough to see them.' But, that was just Mathew's opinion, maybe others saw it too—not that he would ever find that out if he couldn't make more than the two friends he already had though.

Alfred's face twitched looking at them, turning from a wide grin to something more of a sneer as he stated more than he asked, "It's alright with you if I take Mathew, right?"

"Yeah, sure, bye bye Birdie." Gilbert gave a little wave Mathew's way then tugged Carlos away.

'Wow. Jeez, thanks for ditching me you guys, love you too.'

The rest of Mathew's lunch period was spent being ignored by Alfred and his friends, the entire time. Yet despite how much Mathew was looking around to try and distract himself he always happened to miss seeing the gaze that was stuck to him, watching everything that he did until the bell rang and his usual boring lunch period was over.


	2. Chapter 2

It was after school and Mathew was on the front steps texting Alfred. Of course it would be on a day that it was pouring outside that Alfred would forget him, again, and leave him. The text he sends his brother, after Alfred sent him a frowney face and the words 'sorry bro, I kind of left already', is anything but brotherly.

Mathew looked out at the street that already had rivers running down it and contemplated just spending the night under the school's over-hang that was protecting him. Why couldn't he have a normal brother that didn't forget his only sibling? How hard is it to remember your own twin needed a ride too? Now he had to walk home through this.

He was halfway home when it started to hail. There was no cover he could go under anywhere around him, then he remembered a bus booth he'd passed a while back. Mathew ran back to it, and slipped inside just as someone else did. The rain and hail pounded onto the roof above them.

The person he'd come in with was looking at him like he was surprised. "Mathew?" He said. Then it clicked. He knew this person, he was one of the newer students in his class. He was one of the kids that had been in the surrounding elementary schools that had all joined his high school because it was the biggest around. That was...three years ago. Three years and he still didn't know all of their names, and he was just getting after his brother about forgetting people.

"Hello, um sorry about this but I've forgotten your name. What is it again?"

"Um, Lars." The other teen answered. Right, Lars. He was the actual new student everyone had been talking about. New kids were always a big deal in small towns. Even stranger, this new kid hadn't come from the U.K. like what was normal, he'd come from some other place...that he'd try to remember later.

He still hadn't answered Lars. Shoot. "Okay." And, now he sounded like an idiot. Both of them stood around awkwardly, and both of them tried to look anywhere but at each other. Rain is so boring though.

"So, why are you here?" Lars asked. Yes, an interruption to the boredom. Mathew looked at him with a smile. The ice had been broken. And, was still breaking outside of their impromptu shelter against the pavement; it just wasn't the ice he'd been thinking of. Argh, concentrate. Lars had asked a question, quick brain think of an answer.

"You might not have noticed but it's hailing out there." Mathew glanced out the glass walls at the puddles still forming in the street. "And raining."

"Ah, right." Now Lars looked sheepish. No, now he sounded like he didn't think very highly of him. How to make up for it? Oh look, the rain was lessening, and the hail had stopped. Mental screams of joy abound, that's it.

"Would you like to come to my house? It's not that far away, and you can dry off there, and you can maybe stay the night if you want."

"That would be great thanks. Here, let's use my jacket to keep us dry. It's still raining a bit." Lars said while taking of his jacket.

"You don't have to take off your jacket if you don't want to."

"No, it's fine." Lars replied. "I'm fine with it."

Mathew shrugged. "Alright then."

* * *

Arriving home just a couple minutes later Mathew had a few choice words to say to his brother after he'd introduced him and Lars. Then the clothes had gone into the washer and dryer while Lars had called his parents to let them know where he would be. After that Mathew had let Lars borrow some of his clothes and they'd gone to bed. Mathew sacrificing his bed after a mini pillow fight had erupted. Strangely enough the fight was to establish who would get the grand privilege of sleeping...on the floor.

And here Mathew was reminded that Lars was one of the new-new students at his school. He didn't understand Canadian customs at all. If a Canadian offers you something, you refuse it. If they offer it again, you refuse it and you're insulting them. Lars had refused to take Mathew's bed a total of twelve times before Mathew was finished trying to get it through his skull that it hadn't been a request, Mathew was taking the sleeping bag and Lars was taking the bed, and hit him as hard as he could with his pillow. Then Lars had the audacity to hit him back with a pillow. It was on. Ten minutes later and Mathew was happy, he was sleeping on the floor like a polite host should and his guest was on the bed. All was as it should be in the world.

* * *

Going to school the next morning Mathew had the odd feeling he was playing twenty questions. Lars was quiet, or regaining his breath after his last bout of questions that he'd sent at Mathew; either way, it was Mathew's turn again to ask Lars some questions.

"Favorite colour?"

"Golden brown." Lars answered.

Mathew was skeptical. "Really, brown?"

"Yep, yours?"

That didn't need much thought. "Red."

"Why?" Lars asked.

" 'cuz it's the colour of maple leaves, and I've had some really nice memories surrounding those."

"Okay, like what?"

"Well, like Alfred teasing me about this one maple leaf I found that was really big and I treated it like a wonderful treasure or something. I made sure that leaf stayed safe, and I even asked my parents to show me how to press it so that it stayed nice. I still have it. And, of course, there's the maple candy I had when I visited my relatives with my brother and mom when I was younger. That kind of stuff. It's pretty boring." Mathew paused. "But at least it's not as boring as the colour brown."

"Hey, brown is a perfectly good colour."

"Uh-huh, I'm sure it is." They'd arrived at the school. "How about you tell me why you like it after school then?" Mathew asked looking back at Lars as he sped up his pace a bit.

"Sure thing. Meet you at the doors."

Mathew smiled at Lars one more time before they each took a different door into the school and vanished in the melee of students getting to their classes.


End file.
